Achievement Unlocked: Happily Ever After
by GroundZeroFirework
Summary: The last in the line of Jolks one-shot. Happy reading!
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Okay...I swear to God...last Jolks fic. Swear. This is something I have to write just so I can nicely tie up all the Jolks fics I've written with a big red bow on top of it. After this, I'll probably write one TsubaHonk fic. So...here you go. I hope you all enjoy this.**

 **Personal Message to my fellow Jolks fans from the #JolksGC:** _ **Pag kayo nabitin pa dito, hindi ko na alam kung anu gagawin ko. XD**_

* * *

 **ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: HAPPILY EVER AFTER**

* * *

It was about 9PM when Nanjo Yoshino decided to sit in the living room couch of her two story home in the suburbs of Tokyo. In the coffee table in front of her sat a photo album that they had just finished looking through much earlier. The person who looked through it with her was the person she decided to spend the rest of her life with; that person was none other than the beautiful Kusuda Aina.

Oh, wait...it should be Nanjo Aina now.

Yes, the pair had married about two years into their relationship. They had their good times and their bad times. Yet despite all that, they fall deeper in love with each other as each day passes. About two years since they started dating, a blunder accidentally exposed their relationship to the public and their agencies gave them the option of either quitting the industry, confirming their relationship or breaking with each other all together and denying they were ever in a relationship in the first place. Of course, neither of them were willing to leave the jobs that they love and worked hard to get into nor were they willing to leave each other for the sake of avoiding a scandal. They also had no idea how they were going to deny their relationship; considering one time, they were caught kissing outside of Nanjo's apartment and another time, they were caught being intimate in her living room (that was the first and last time she forgets to close the window with the curtains and also the first and last time they were intimate in the living room). So that left them with one option and truth be told, they were sick and tired of sneaking around, so they confirmed their relationship. Much to their surprise, their fans approved and even cheered for them. Apparently, their fans, friends and family were just waiting for their relationship to happen. And that brought a great relief to her and Kussun, because in addition to finally NOT having to hide their love and relationship, they made their fans happy as well. Months later, Nanjo proposed to her beloved. She smiled as she looked out the window and saw the moon. The night she proposed to her was a night just like this. Nanjo smiled even wider as she remembered that night.

* * *

 _Nanjo sat in Kussun's car as her beloved drove to the countryside yet again. Like before, they were headed to that meadow where they watched the fireflies back then. Except this time it was totally dark out and the moon was high up in the sky; just what Nanjo needed._

" _Yoshi-chan, are you alright? You've been jittery all day." Kussun remarked as she kept her eyes on the road. Nanjo responded with a smile and held her left hand before bringing it up to her lips for a kiss._

" _I'm fine, Ai-chan. It's just stress." She responded as she continued holding onto that hand. As she held it, Nanjo can swear that the box in her pocket was burning a hole through her pants, begging to be let out and presented to the woman beside her. Nanjo was legitimately afraid that Kussun would say 'no' to her proposal. She had no idea what she would do if that happened. If approaching Kussun's parents to ask for their blessing and her hand in marriage was scary; actually proposing to her was terrifying._

" _Yoshi-chan, we're here." Kussun said as she parked in the parking lot. Like before, Nanjo packed them a picnic basket full of food and they went to the same meadow where they watched the fireflies. As they ate, however, Nanjo noticed that Kussun kept sneaking glances at her and there were flashes of worry in her eyes as they talked. Well, Kussun did. Nanjo was just being a dork and barely said a word at all because she was too preoccupied in thinking of the worst case scenario._

" _Yoshi-chan, are you sure you're alright?" Kussun asked her. Finally, Nanjo sighed and stood up as she pulled Kussun up with her._

" _Ai-chan, there's a reason why I'm like this right now. It's not just the stress but...I'm nervous too. And to be honest, if I wasn't nervous, I'd make an even better effort to make this romantic so...I'm sorry but this is all I can do for now." Nanjo said, nervousness apparent in her voice. How ironic; here she is, a popular singer who performs in front of large crowds, about to faint at the mere thought of asking her girlfriend to marry her. She pulled out a box from her pocket and got down on one knee, not even minding the pain it brought her. So long as she can make a proper proposal to such a beautiful woman, she'll endure any pain. Kussun gasped and she covered her mouth in shock._

" _Kusuda Aina, I have never loved anyone as much as I did you. I promised you a happily ever after and I know that this is the next best step to fulfilling that promise. Will you marry me?" Nanjo asked, with a hint of nervousness and a look of anxiety, as she opened the box. Inside was a beautiful diamond ring. Kussun's eyes were filled with tears as she nodded, not trusting her voice to answer. Eventually, she just threw herself on Nanjo, sending them both tumbling into the ground, with her below the older woman._

" _So, is that a yes?" Nanjo teasingly asked her, even though she already knew the answer. Words cannot express how relieved she is to receive a 'yes' to her question._

" _Yes, Yoshi-chan, I'll marry you." Kussun answered with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. They both sat up and Nanjo took her left hand and carefully slid the ring on her finger. Immediately afterwards, Kussun pulled her down for a kiss as Nanjo continued to hold her hand._

" _Ai-chan, look!" Nanjo said when they separated. They both looked forwards and the sight before them was incredible; hundreds of fireflies were flying around the meadow, just like the first time they went there. A single firefly captured their attention, however. This particular firefly flew towards them and decided to perch itself on Kussun's engagement ring for a few moments before flying off yet again._

" _Looks like even the fireflies agree with our engagement." Kussun said with a huge smile. Nanjo responded by kissing her forehead and holding her close, feeling happier than she had ever been her entire life._

* * *

It was only another few months later that they actually married. Thankfully, when they broke the news to their agencies, friends, families and fans, they were overjoyed (and thankfully, not fired). The ceremony was just the usual but whenever their wedding was brought up, the event that usually enters Nanjo's mind was the reception. Especially the conversation they had when things started slowing down a bit. Nanjo flipped the pages of the photo album until she found the photo she was looking for.

* * *

 _Nanjo walked out into the reception hall's garden, looking for her new wife. While she was greeting their guests, Nanjo realized that Kussun was no longer in the hall and thus, decided to go search for her. Her hunch was right and she did indeed find Kussun sitting on a garden bench. For a moment there, Nanjo forgot how to breathe; the pale glow of the moonlight only made Kussun look even more angelic in her wedding dress than she already did earlier. And at that moment, in the event that they would be separated, she knew that her soul would cry out only for the woman before her. Nanjo knew that no matter how many lifetimes they may someday live after this one, she will find her way back to her beloved Kussun._

" _I might melt if you stare at me any longer, Yoshi-chan." Kussun said with a teasing tone in her voice. Nanjo let out a chuckle as she sat beside her wife and wrapped an arm around her._

" _Sorry. You just look even more beautiful in the pale moonlight." She responded before pressing a kiss to her cheek._

" _Your ikemen charm does wonders, Yoshi-chan. You look like a prince in that suit." Kussun remarked as she wrapped her arms around Nanjo's neck. Since Nanjo had the fortune of having an ikemen charm, they decided that she would be the one to wear the suit. Not that Nanjo had a problem with that; after all, it was Kussun who requested it..._

 _...and anything Kussun asked for, she would give it to her without hesitation as long as she could._

" _Well, it's not like a prince would be whole without a princess. And I'm looking at mine right now." Nanjo said with a smile and a look that showed how much she adores the woman she just married. She was pretty certain that her entire being exuded love and adoration for Kussun and she could feel the same coming from her. They loved each other so much that even others could probably see it._

" _Mou...Yoshi-chan, you're making me blush." Kussun said with a smile and a red hue on her face. Nanjo stood up and offered a hand towards her._

" _Dance with me?" She requested. Kussun smiled and took it, allowing herself to be pulled up from her seat._

" _Such a gentleman." She said as she wrapped her arms around Nanjo's neck. They swayed and dance to the sound of "Nightingale Love Song" that was being played in the reception hall. Earlier, Emitsun sang "Mou Hitori Ja Nai Yo" for their first dance._

" _I meant what I said earlier, you know? About you being my princess."_

" _I know, Yoshi-chan." Kussun said with a smile as she brought their foreheads together._

" _I've said it once, I've said it twice, I've said so many times but I feel the need to say it again; I'm so lucky to have you, Ai-chan. I love you so much."_

" _I love you too, Yoshi-chan. You're not the only lucky one here. I'm so happy to be able to spend the rest of my life with you."_

 _Unable to say anything more, Nanjo simply held her hand and pressed her lips to hers. They would've kept kissing for a few more minutes...if it weren't for the flashing light that kept going off. When they finally separated, they saw all the guests watching them from the reception hall and cheering them on while the wedding photographer still had a good vantage point to take a good photo of them even from afar. Come to think of it, the music seemed a lot closer too. As they scanned the area around, they both laughed upon seeing Rippi, standing not too far from them, holding a music player that was playing "Nightingale Love Song" up high with Shika beside her, no doubt taking a video of them on her phone. A video that will probably be put up on her Instagram within 48 hours. Oh, well, at least they weren't sniffing each others' hairs this time._

" _This is starting to hurt, you know! Just kiss and do the romantic stuff that newly married couples do already!" Rippi playfully yelled at them as she continued holding the music player. But that only earned her more laughs and giggles._

" _Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!" Soramaru started yelling out. Eventually, everyone joined her in chanting the same thing, egging them into kissing._

" _Well, Mrs. Nanjo? The guests are waiting." Nanjo teasingly asked her. Kussun rolled her eyes with a smile before leaning in for a kiss and Nanjo willingly met her halfway._

 _That moment was forever immortalized in a photograph._

* * *

That was the photograph that Nanjo was looking at right now. That wedding photographer had an eye for exquisite photographs, she'll give him that much. He perfectly captured their kiss with the moon the perfect witness in the photograph. It was the type of photo that you see in magazines and romance movies. Afterwards, they headed for their honeymoon; where the days were filled with fun activities and the nights were...well, let's just say they rocked each others' worlds, shall we?

'I can't believe we've been married for almost two years.' Nanjo thought with a smile as she fondly looked at the ring on her finger. When they reached their first year as a married couple, it became clear to Nanjo that Kussun wanted children. And they did, with Kussun deciding to go into hiatus to carry their child to term when they realized that she was pregnant. Those nine months were both heaven and hell for them; sometimes Nanjo had to go out of town for her concerts, sometimes she would be home late, sometimes she went days without sleeping at all due to her having to cater to Kussun's wants and needs, like what she's craving in the middle of the night or her wife's...hyperactive libido. She once had to go out in the middle of the night to find a McDonalds for McNuggets, for heaven's sake. For Kussun's part, in the meantime, her hormones were out of control; she would either get mad or cry for no reason. And it really scared the hell out of both of them but they pulled through, regardless. In her first months of pregnancy, Kussun would sometimes go out of town with her but by the time the sixth month rolled in, she started leaving Kussun with her parents out of fear that the stress of travelling might be too much for her and their baby. Seeing Kussun smile and excited to see their baby made everything worth it, however. But the birthing process itself was hell for the both of them. Just thinking about it still scared the living daylights out of her.

* * *

" _Yoshi-chan, wake up. Please."_

 _Nanjo moaned in her sleep but made little to no effort to actual open her eyes. It was only a few seconds later that she felt someone frantically shaking her shoulder. She finally turned around and saw Kussun sitting up in their bed with a panicked look on her face. She turned her head yet again and saw the time._

" _Ai-chan, it's 2AM."_

" _My water just broke." Kussun reported as she took deep breaths. The older woman immediately got up as if someone doused her in ice cold water, changing her sleepwear into actual clothes before grabbing the bag she prepared for this day. Gently, she took her wife by the hand and helped her to the car. She was so grateful that she finally plucked up the willpower to get her driver's license years ago. Even more grateful that Kussun suggested that she go on a hiatus as well because that meant she didn't have work tomorrow morning. Nanjo immediately drove as fast as she could to the hospital, holding her beloved's hand as she drove._

" _We're almost there, love. Just breathe."_

 _After a few more minutes, they finally arrived. Her wife was immediately put into a stretcher and they started wheeling her to the operating room._

" _Will she be alright?" Nanjo anxiously asked as she ran with them, not once letting go of her beloved's hand. Kussun let out a pained moan and Nanjo's worries were only amplified further when she saw how weak and pale she's suddenly become. She didn't need a long time experience with pregnant women to know that what's happening to her wife is not normal._

" _We'll do our best, Nanjo-san." The doctor responded. Finally, they arrived at the operating room._

" _Nanjo-san, we need you to step outside. Please. We'll call you if it's alright to come in." The doctor humbly requested of her._

" _Ai-chan, I'll just be outside, alright. Stay strong, my love. We're about to see our baby. I love you both so much." Nanjo said with a hint of excitement and encouragement in her voice before pressing her lips against Kussun's pale and cold ones. She reluctantly left the room, afterwards._

 _The wait was pure torture for her. About an hour later, the doctor came out while was contacting their friends and families. Anxiously, she stood up as he approached._

" _How is she?" Nanjo asked him as she nervously wringed her hands together._

" _Nanjo-san, I'm afraid there were some complications. Your wife is suffering from placental abruption. We need to perform an emergency caesarean section on her, immediately. If we don't...both your wife and child could die." He informed her as he held out a clipboard with a form and a pen towards her. Nanjo immediately took them both and signed without hesitation._

" _Please do what you can to save my wife and our baby." She requested as she returned it to him. When he went back inside, she collapsed on the chair she was previously sitting on and, as childish as it may look, brought her knees close to her chest as she wrapped her arms around them. She didn't even mind the pain that brought on to her knees; she just...needed to hide somehow, somewhere._

' _Ai-chan, stay strong. Please.' She thought to herself before falling asleep in that position._

 _The next time that Nanjo woke up was when their parents arrived. She explained everything to them as best as she could and they in turn did their best to cheer her up and reassure her that Kussun will be fine but that did nothing to stop the anxiety she felt. Hours later, they heard the cries of a baby and the doctor finally came out and she stood up to talk with him._

" _Nanjo-san." He called for her with a smile. "Congratulations. It's a girl. A perfectly healthy baby girl."_

 _She breathed out a sigh of relief before smiling as wide as she could. They had agreed to keep the baby's gender a surprise until the actual birth._

" _Thank you, doctor. Where are they?" She asked with an excited smile._

" _We took your daughter to the maternity ward to see if she has any complications. We transferred your wife to a room now." He said as he gave her a slip of paper with the room number written on it._

" _Thank you. Thank you so much." She said with a bow before he walked away._

" _Go see, Aina-chan, dear. We grandparents are going to see our granddaughter." Nanjo's mother said. With a nod and after several hugs, Nanjo ran towards the room and entered it. Inside, she saw Kussun soundly asleep on the bed, colour slowly returning to her cheeks. Nanjo went to her wife's bedside and kissed her forehead before gently holding her hand._

" _You did great, Ai-chan. Rest. I'll be here when you wake up. I love you." She whispered before sitting beside her on a chair and she slowly fell asleep yet again, tightly holding her beloved's hand._

 _Nanjo awoke to a soft sensation of someone stroking her hair. She groggily raised her hand and opened her eyes with a little bit of difficulty._

" _Hi." A soft and familiar voice greeted her. Nanjo perked up when she realized that Kussun was awake._

" _Hi. Hi...I love you." She said with a voice full of fondness before she pressed her lips to Kussun's._

" _You want to see her?" Nanjo asked Kussun, who was genuinely surprised by what she said._

" _Her? We have a girl?" She asked as tears sprang in her eyes. Kussun didn't get to see their child once the birthing was over considering she was passed out until now._

" _Yeah." The older woman said with a smile._

" _Mama offered to get her earlier when I woke up...but she never said the gender." Kussun said, excitement apparent in her voice. Just then, Kussun's mother entered with a nurse, who was pushing a small crib towards them._

" _Nanjo-san, here's your daughter." The nurse cheerfully said with a bow before leaving the room. Kussun's mother gently took the sleeping child from the crib._

" _Mind her head, Aina-chan." She said as she handed the baby over to her mothers._

" _Hi. It's your Mama Aina." Kussun greeted her with a gentle smile as her tears gently streamed down her cheeks. Nanjo held her little daughter's hand, not realizing that she was crying as well until she saw a tear from her eye drop on her daughter's hand. The child stirred from her sleep and looked at them with curious brown eyes._

" _Hold her, Yoshi-chan." Kussun insisted as she held the baby towards her. Hesitantly, Nanjo took the child, afraid of dropping her or making her cry all of a sudden._

" _You're holding her perfectly, Yoshino-chan." Kussun's mother said with a smile. Nanjo responded with a smile on her own and she looked at her daughter with the same fondness that she usually gave her beloved wife._

" _I'm your mom. It's your Mama Yoshino." She said as the tears continued to stream down from her eyes._

" _Hello, hello!" A familiar voice greeted them. When they looked up, they saw Emitsun and the others entering the room._

" _Hello, everyone." Kussun greeted with a wide smile as Nanjo handed their daughter over to her. They immediately greeted each other with hugs and kisses since they haven't seen each other in a while._

" _I see your little one finally made its way to the world. And that it's a girl." Ucchi said as she held the baby's hands._

" _Ha! Pay up, guys!" Soramaru said as Pile, Mimorin and Shika begrudgingly pulled out their wallets and paid her._

" _You made a bet on our baby's gender?" Nanjo asked them in disbelief._

" _They did. Ucchi, Rippi and I sat it out." Emitsun responded as she greeted Kussun with a kiss on the cheek._

" _It's just for fun." Mimorin said with a small smile._

" _So, what's her name?" Rippi asked them with an excited tone in her voice as she tickled the baby in the stomach as she lay in Kussun's arms. They expected much from her; she was the youngest of them after all. And still a bit of a child at heart._

" _I'll give you 10000 yen if you can guess it." Nanjo teasingly said._

" _Yoshi-chan!" Kussun scolded her with a pout._

" _Sorry, Ai-chan. Please don't pout." She said as she kissed her wife's cheek. She and Kussun did discuss names before the birth and the name they agreed on was connected to one of the people who helped them meet one another._

" _So...what's her name?" Shika asked them._

" _Eli. Her name is Eli." Kussun said with a smile._

" _Hello, Little Elichika." Soramaru greeted the child as she made silly faces towards her, which was met by a blank yet somewhat confused stare from the baby. Pile approached little Eli this time and brought out an Ayase Eli Nesoberi that she held close to the baby._

" _This is for you, Little Eli." She said with a happy smile before proceeding to hand the toy over to Kussun._

" _Thank you, Pai-chan." Kussun said as she took the Nesoberi from her and proceeded to hold it for her daughter. Little Eli, meanwhile, reached her hands out of the Nesoberi but Kussun knew that she won't be able to hold on to it so she continued to hold it for her. Shika was, as usual, taking a video of the moment on her phone._

" _Nan-chan, I want to take a picture. Sit beside Kussun and Eli-chan." Rippi said and they complied. Nanjo sat beside Kussun and wrapped an arm around her before holding little Eli's hand. In a spur of the moment, she kissed Kussun's forehead just as Rippi pressed the capture button on her phone._

 _ ***flash***_

 _Another moment immortalized..._

* * *

At some point of her reminiscing, Nanjo flipped the pages of the photo album towards that picture that Rippi took. A photo she took, printed, handed over to them and then posted on her Instagram...all in the span of 2 hours. A shrill cry suddenly sounded in the air, bringing Nanjo to full alert. Immediately, she stood up and headed upstairs to their room before Kussun wakes up from her sleep. It's been two months since she gave birth and she needs her rest, after all. When she entered their bedroom, she saw that Kussun was starting to stir from her sleep. Immediately, she walked over to the bassinet, taking great care not to step on Chip, Meme, Mugi and Chibi, who were huddled around the bassinet sleeping. Ever since they brought Eli home, their pets have been on guard around her 24/7. It was a cute and heart-warming sight, really. Nanjo took her baby from the bassinet and immediately worked to calm her down.

"There, there. It's okay..."

* * *

Kussun woke up to the sound of little Eli's crying. She's been a light sleeper since Eli was born but it made her wonder what the problem was. The clock showed that it was 10PM and she was just fed and changed about an hour and a half ago. She wasn't colicky either. Just as she was about to get up, however, she heard a familiar voice.

"There, there. It's okay, my little Elichika. Are you lonely? We didn't leave you. It's alright. We're right here."

Kussun turned around and saw that Nanjo had beaten her to the punch. She was in front of the bassinet and she was already taking Eli into her arms and she started calming down immediately.

"Shhh...it's alright. Mama's here." Nanjo whispered to their baby as she waved the Nesoberi Pile gave them in front of her before walking up to the bed and setting her in between her and Kussun.

"You woke up. Go back to sleep, I got her." Nanjo told Kussun.

"I was going to get her but you got to her before I did." Kussun said with a tired smile. Nanjo brushed the hair away from her face before leaning forward to kiss her. When they separated, Nanjo leaned on the headboard before picking Eli up and putting her stomach-first on top of her chest before turning the music player on. The soft melody of _'Snow Halation'_ immediately started playing from its speakers. With a teasing smile, Kussun grabbed her phone and opened the camera app just in time to take a picture of Nanjo kissing Eli's forehead. Once it was uploaded on her Instagram, she leaned her head on Nanjo's shoulder as she gently rubbed Eli's back. Eli let out a small cooing sound as she turned her head towards Kussun as she tightly held Nanjo's shirt in her little hands. Her little eyes were slowly sliding down to close so she can sleep but she kept opening them as if she was struggling to stay awake.

"Sleep, little one. Mama Yoshi and I will be here in the morning. Good night, my little Elichika." Kussun whispered to Eli. As soon as she was done saying that, Eli's eyes completely closed, safe and comfortable in her parents' arms. Kussun kissed her daughter on her dainty forehead before leaning on her wife's shoulder yet again. After a few minutes of silence, Kussun spoke up again.

"Yoshi-chan."

"Yeah?"

"You did it." Kussun stated as she continued to look at their baby and gently rubbed her back.

"What?" Nanjo asked in confusion as she turned her head towards her wife to look at her.

"You gave me a happily ever after. You kept your promise and gave me a happily ever after." She clarified for her. Nanjo lifted her head up by the chin and she carefully leaned down to kiss her.

"We did it, Ai-chan. I wouldn't have my happily ever after if it weren't for you. We gave each other our happily ever after. I hate imagining a life without you by my side. I love you so much."

Tears gently fell from Kussun's eyes as she brought their foreheads together and she held Nanjo's hand, which led to them putting their hands on the only proof of their love; Eli.

"I love you too, Yoshi-chan. Both you and our little Elichika." Kussun said with a smile before she leaned her head on Nanjo's shoulder yet again. Both women closed their eyes, the steady breathing of their daughter and each other slowly lulling them to sleep, happy and content with their blissful lives. Before they fell asleep, both coincidentally only had the one and the same thought in their minds. A thought that would be quite fit the gamer in Nanjo.

' _Achievement Unlocked: Happily Ever After'_

* * *

 **AN: FUCKIN' FINALLY! With 4,848 words, this is probably the longest one shot I've written. This is the last in a line of Jolks one-shot. The next one shot I'm making will be TsubaHonkers but that'll probably be next week. I'm sorry if it's not quite up to your standards but I had to rush as I will be leaving for Sagada tomorrow and I wanted to get this done before then. I hope you guys enjoyed this. Reviews are appreciated.**


	2. Epilogue: Moments

**AN: Hello, everybody and welcome to the long-awaited epilogue to this story. I have some people requesting for this and well, hey, who am I to deny a request? Let's begin!**

* * *

 **EPILOGUE:**

 **MOMENTS**

* * *

 **FIRST KISS (PRE-NATAL)**

* * *

Watching your child grow up is one of the best things a parent can experience. There are some moments in their life that you just can't miss, nor would you want to miss. From crawling to walking to talking to their first day of school; it was all very exciting to think about.

And Nanjo Aina was very, _very_ excited.

As of now, the singer was expecting her first child with her wife, Nanjo Yoshino and she has two months left before her due date. Both were equally prepared for the birth and were very excited for it. Things were going well…unless the baby decides that it wanted to have a solo soccer practice in her stomach very early in the morning, then things will go very badly since Kussun's hormones are out of whack. But regardless…

' _I can't wait.'_ Kussun thought with a smile as she left the nursery and headed downstairs. She spotted her wife sitting on the couch, playing a video game on her PS4. It brought a smile on Kussun's face to see that her wife hasn't changed one bit since they met. She sat beside Nanjo, who finally seems to have noticed her.

"Ah, Ai-chan, you're still awake? Are you feeling well?" Nanjo asked with a hint of worry as she put her game on pause and changed the TV setting so they can watch something instead. The older woman immediately wrapped an arm around her before touching her belly.

"I'm fine, Yoshi-chan. But the little one is a bit excited though." Kussun said with a smile as she gently rubbed her swollen belly with a gentle smile. Yet again, she felt their child move within her and it only brought a rush of excitement to her.

"I can see that. And with how our baby kicks, I bet it'll be good at soccer too. Wouldn't you like that, Ai-chan? A son or a daughter who's good at sports?" Nanjo asked her as she gently rubbed her pregnant wife's stomach.

"I would like that very much, Yoshi-chan." Kussun said with a smile before continuing to speak. "But no matter what they become, whether they're good at sports or something else, we'll always love them, right?"

"Right. No matter what." Nanjo said with a smile. As a thought crossed her mind, however, Nanjo's smile slowly turned into a frown.

"Yoshi-chan, what's wrong?" Kussun asked in worry. It seemed to snap Nanjo out of her thoughts and she shook her head immediately.

"Nothing. It's just…I'm worried." She admitted as she looked away from Kussun and towards the television. She shouldn't be saying this; she shouldn't be worrying Kussun when she's in this stage of her pregnancy. However, before she can avoid the subject, Kussun forced her gaze towards her.

"Tell me."

Nanjo sighed and nodded, knowing that she could never hide anything from Kussun for long.

"I…I worry that our baby will be like me. That he or she will inherit my knee problem. I don't want that to put a limit on what they want to do in life like it does on mine." She admitted. It's become one of Nanjo's biggest fears since they found out they were expecting. She already hated the fact that she can't dance with Kussun as much as she wanted to or run as much as she can, among other things. She didn't want their child to be the same as her; if anything, she wanted their baby to be able to run, dance or play as much as they wanted to when they grew up.

"Yoshi-chan, I don't want that to happen to our baby too. But there's nothing we can do about it if it does. All we can do is support them in whatever they want to do in life." The younger woman said as she cupped her wife's cheeks in her hand. Nanjo smiled at her words; her wife always did know the best way to comfort her. Whether it was by her words or actions or even by simply being there, Kussun always did know how to make things better for her.

"You're right, Ai-chan. It's stupid of me to think that." She said before she leaned in to gently kiss her.

"It's not stupid, Yoshi-chan. You're a mother now. It's normal to worry. But look, you made the baby worry too." Kussun said with a wide smile as they felt the baby give a powerful kick. Nanjo widely smiled when she felt her baby kick. _Her_ baby. Just thinking about it brought a warm feeling to her heart.

"I'm sorry, little one. Mama Yoshi won't make you worry anymore." Nanjo said before she leaned in to kiss Kussun's stomach. It was the first time she's done it and she felt their baby move yet again as if in response to her kiss. Kussun lightly giggled as she ran her fingers through Nanjo's hair.

"What are you laughing at?" Nanjo asked her as she looked up.

"You just gave our baby its first kiss." Kussun happily said. Nanjo grinned at her observation.

"Yeah, I guess I did. At least no one will be able to claim their first kiss now." She boasted before pressing her ear to her stomach yet again.

"Silly Yoshi-chan." Kussun thought as she continued to run her fingers through the older woman's hair.

* * *

 **FIRST FEVER (6 MONTHS)**

* * *

Kussun woke up from her nap on the couch when she heard the shrill cries of a baby. Beside her, on her baby swing, was Eli. Her face was scrunched up in discomfort as she wailed. Chibi was gently rocking the swing back and forth while Chip was quietly sniffing her, as if trying to find the source of her discomfort. Kussun thanked her lucky stars that she had no work for today. But it bothered her that Eli was crying; she had her toys dangling in front of her and the pets were keeping her in good company earlier. She immediately stood up and gently took her from her swing and held her close.

"What's wrong, Eli-chan?" She gently asked but the only response she received was more cries. She brought her hand to the baby's forehead and her eyes widened at how hot she was.

"You have a fever." Kussun said in worry. She decided to grab some essentials and drive with Eli to the hospital since it was a bit alarming for a baby of Eli's age to have a fever. Her parents were out of the country for their anniversary so she had no one to turn to so she decided that going to a doctor to be sure is the best course of action. Also, truth be told, she was panicking on the inside. She sent a quick message to Nanjo to avoid disturbing her at work. Finally, she arrived at the hospital, holding her crying child close to her as she was directed to a doctor.

"Aina-san, Eli-chan is fine. It's just a simple fever. Her body is simply fighting off something she caught. But if it makes you feel better, we have to keep her here for the night so we can make sure that nothing else will go wrong." The doctor kindly told her. Kussun sighed in relief as she gently patted Eli's stomach to comfort her. It seemed to work because she stopped crying immediately.

"Thank you, doctor." She said with a bow. The doctor nodded in response before leaving the two of them alone. Once she was gone, Kussun's phone started ringing. She answered immediately.

" _Ai-chan, how is she?"_ She heard Nanjo's panicked tone from the other side.

"She's fine, Yoshi-chan. Just a fever. Doctor wants to keep her here for the night for observation." Kussun said as she rubbed Eli's stomach as she slowly fell asleep.

" _Alright…I convinced my manager to let me leave early. I'll be there soon."_ Her wife said over the phone.

"Okay. Take care, Yoshi-chan." Kussun said before pausing. "I love you."

" _I love you too, Ai-chan. Both you and Eli-chan. I love you both so much."_ Nanjo replied before she hung up. It didn't take long before Eli started crying again so Kussun picked her up and gently rocked her.

"Don't cry, Eli-chan. Mama Aina is here. Mama Yoshi is on her way. Don't cry, my little one." Kussun gently whispered to her. It didn't seem to work as Eli continued to squirm in her hold and continued crying. She started humming _"Moshimo Kara Kitto"_ to her for a few minutes before she heard the door open and close.

"Ai-chan, I'm here." Nanjo said as she approached them, dropping the bags she brought with her on the floor. The older woman approached them and gave them each a kiss. Kussun sat on the bed with Nanjo and they both worked on trying to calm Eli.

"Well, at least we know she'll be a good singer when she grows up." Nanjo lightheartedly said as she caressed the crying baby's cheek. Her cries were reduced to small whimpers as Kussun continued to hold her close while Nanjo held her tiny hand.

"I was so scared when you told me you were going to the hospital. I thought something happened to the two of you. I'm still scared because I'm afraid that her fever might lead to something else." The older woman admitted as she wrapped an arm around Kussun's shoulders and held her close.

"I don't think you have to worry too much, Yoshi-chan. The doctor already said it's just a fever." Kussun comforted her with a small smile. Nanjo simply pressed her lips to hers as thanks for the comfort she never fails to provide. Eventually, they separated and the older woman took the baby in her arms.

"You're going to grow up to be a strong lady, my little Elichika. Your mother and I love you very much." She said before pressing a kiss to her forehead and she gave the baby her pacifier. In her arms, little Eli's eyelids slowly started to drop until they finally closed and she comfortably fell asleep. Her two mothers barely slept that night and kept vigil in case their darling daughter needed them until the sun rose on the horizon.

The next day, little Eli was cleared to go home and was full of energy despite the fever she just had.

* * *

 **FIRST WORD (6 MONTHS)**

* * *

Nanjo was sitting on the floor of her home, playing on her PS4 while simultaneously keeping an eye on Eli. The little girl was sitting on the floor banging wooden blocks together instead of stacking them up. Honestly, with how overprotective the pets are of her (even Chibi, who rarely likes others), it wasn't even necessary for her to keep an eye on Eli. But she has been a bit overprotective than she usually is since Eli returned from the hospital a week ago. She scooted closer to the little girl as Eli played with Mugi and Chibi. Nanjo paused the game and grabbed her once she noticed that Eli managed to grab hold of Mugi's tail was about to bring it to her mouth. She settled baby on her lap immediately.

"Eli-chan, don't do that. No. Bad." Nanjo lightly scolded her as she wagged her finger in front of her and lightly tapped her nose. Eli shook her head in understanding that what she did wasn't allowed. Nanjo sighed and kissed the top of her head before continuing her game with the baby sitting on her lap, drinking from the bottle of milk that was just handed to her.

"Yoshi-chan." A sleepy voice said as she felt two arms wrap around neck. She looked up and saw that Kussun woke up from her nap and settled herself on the couch without her notice.

"Ai-chan. How'd you sleep?" She asked as she leaned up to press their lips together for a second.

"Good. Was Elichika a good girl when Mama Aina was asleep?" She playfully asked as she took the girl from her wife and continued to let her drink from her bottle. Eli pushed the bottle away and what the baby did next almost caused Nanjo to faint.

"M-M-Ma-Mama!"

At that moment, Nanjo's character was hit by a barrage of enemy fire and she died but she didn't even notice as she dropped her controller on the floor in shock. She slowly turned to look up

"Eli-chan, say that again?" Kussun requested of her, also in shock but lucky, didn't drop her baby like Nanjo did with her controller.

"Mama!" Eli said as she flailed her arms around. Finally, Nanjo regained enough of her bearings to sit on the couch beside them.

"Yoshi-chan, did you hear that? Her first word. Our baby said her first word." Her wife said in excitement. Nanjo smiled as tears of joy escaped her eyes.

"Mama!" Eli said with a smile as she turned her gaze towards her. She nodded in response before kissing her daughter's cheek.

"Our little girl is a smart one, Ai-chan." Nanjo proudly said as she watched Eli settle in Kussun's lap. She tickled the child's stomach and felt extremely happy just by hearing her giggle. Those who recognize them in the street, in the papers or even the tabloids can see how much Nanjo loved and adored her wife and daughter. She even admitted in an interview that her whole world revolved around them.

"Yes, she is, Yoshi-chan." Her wife replied as she fondly looked at Eli, who was holding on to Nanjo's fingers.

"Mama." She repeated as she looked at them with a toothless grin. Nanjo picked up Mugi from the floor and showed the cat to Eli.

"Eli-chan, can you say 'Mugi'? This is Mugi-chan." She coached the baby as she waved one of Mugi's paws in front of her.

"Mama!" Eli said as she grabbed hold of Mugi's paw. They both laughed at her answer before continuing to try to teach her.

But it seems it's going to take them a while…

* * *

 **FIRST TIME CRAWLING (9 MONTHS)**

* * *

Nine months have passed since Kussun gave birth and life went on for them. Nanjo was still working with fripSide. Luckily, since she's just returned, they've decided to just stick with recordings for now; meaning that she would still get to go home and spend some time with her wife and daughter since she doesn't have any lives to perform in. Kussun, meanwhile, also went back to work when Eli turned three months; except she decided to focus more on her voice-acting career rather than her music career. Thankfully, the studio allowed her to bring Eli with her. However, the ninth month of their baby's life came with a special moment; crawling. Granted, it's not as grand as walking or talking but it was a moment nonetheless. And it was one that Nanjo did not want to miss.

" _Tadaima!"_ Nanjo called out as she ran into the living room after taking her shoes off at the door. It's been like this for about a month now; she would go to work, record then rush home. She couldn't help it. When Eli turned eight months, she started pulling herself to her knees; a clear sign that she was about to start crawling. But since they wouldn't be able to tell the exact day that she would, Nanjo has been in a panic and worried about missing such a moment in her child's life.

" _Okaeri,_ Yoshi-chan. Eli-chan, Mama Yoshi is home." Kussun told the little girl, who was lying on her stomach on the floor as she played with her toys with Chip and Meme sleeping next to her. Mugi and Chibi were both huddled in another armchair away from them. The little girl giggled in response when she saw her mother before biting down on a wooden block.

"Did I miss it? Did she start crawling?" Nanjo ask in a hurry as she took deep breaths and kissed Kussun's cheek.

"No. But she's been wiggling on her knees a lot when she pulls herself on them."

With a smile and a relieved smile, Nanjo sat in front of her daughter and kissed her cheek.

"Hello, Eli-chan. Were you a good girl to Mama Aina when she was at work with you?" She asked with a smile as she removed the wooden block from her mouth. The baby giggled yet again before sitting up and grabbed Nanjo's nose.

"Mama!" Eli exclaimed.

"Ahh…that hurts…" Nanjo whined as she gently pried Eli's fingers away while Kussun giggled in delight at the scene. Nanjo turned to her with a mischievous look on her face before jumping on the couch and tightly wrapped her arms around her wife. Unfortunately, she accidentally kicked one of Eli's toys away from her, causing her to look at it in confusion before she pulled herself up to her knees; an action that did not escape Kussun's notice.

"Yoshi-chan." Kussun said as she pointed to their daughter. Nanjo looked at her and saw that Eli was intensely staring at a wooden block a few meters away from her. Or at least, as intense as a nine month old can stare at something. With a smile, Kussun stood up and lay on the floor on her stomach as she tempted the child with her toy and taking a video on her phone.

"Come on, Eli-chan. Come to Mama Aina." She cajoled the baby as she gently tapped the toy on the floor. Chip and Meme woke up and stood beside the young child. Nanjo, in the meantime, busied herself by taking pictures of them with her camera by Kussun's side. Little Eli was wiggling on her knees, as if she was trying to move forward but she wasn't quite sure how. Chip gently nudged her on her bottom but that failed to do anything.

"Come here, Elichika." Nanjo said with a smile. Eli stared at the two of them for a moment before she moved one chubby arm forward and she slowly started dragging her knees across the floor.

"That's it! You're doing good, Eli-chan!" Kussun yelled in her excitement as they both watched their daughter slowly but gradually crawl towards them. Whenever it seemed like she was about to go off course, either Meme or Chip would block her way, forcing her to keep going forward yet again. Eventually, she managed to reach her mothers and laid her hand on the wooden block.

"Toy!" Eli said as she grabbed the block.

"Yay!" Nanjo exclaimed as she immediately picked Eli up and gave her an Eskimo kiss. Kussun gave the baby a kiss on her cheek as a reward for her efforts.

"She's growing up." Nanjo quietly said with a small smile as she fondly looked at Eli. Eli giggled in delight at the attention she was receiving before she placed her head on her mother's shoulder.

"She is. But it will be a while before she starts walking." Kussun said as she sat back on the couch and uploaded the video on her Instagram and Facebook.

"I know." The older woman replied as she sat beside her and gently set little Eli back on the floor. Eli immediately utilized her newfound skill and started to slowly crawl around the room, looking at things up close while being closely guarded by Meme. Nanjo smiled at the scene as she leaned back on the couch. Kussun took the opportunity to wrap her arms around her wife's waist and leaned her head on her chest.

' _I'm glad I was home for this. I never want to miss an important moment in her life.'_ Nanjo mused to herself as she ran her fingers through Kussun's hair. They continued to watch their daughter play with their pets, content at the idyllic life they built for themselves…

* * *

 **FIRST BIRTHDAY (1 YEAR)**

* * *

"Ai-chan, I've been thinking-"

"Yoshi-chan, we've talked about this and for the hundredth time; no, we are not getting her an ocelot. For one thing, it's too short notice; her birthday is today. Secondly, we have four pets here. And third, she's too young for an ocelot." Kussun said before Nanjo could finish her sentence as she put her clothes on. Kussun could understand why Nanjo was so hellbent on getting their daughter an ocelot for her birthday and it's not because of _Metal Gear Solid_. They were watching a documentary about ocelots once and Eli decided to point at the TV and said that she wanted an ocelot. Of course, Nanjo decided that she HAD to get her daughter an ocelot. Kussun could already see that Eli was going to grow up spoiled.

"I was actually thinking of getting having our parents over for Eli-chan's birthday. It's been a while since they saw Eli-chan." Nanjo said as she sat beside Kussun on their bed after putting her sweat pants on.

"Oh…I think that's a wonderful idea. You should invite your brother as well. I'll call my parents and my sister." She replied before kissing her wife on the cheek for her brilliant idea. She picked up her phone and started texting her parents and sister. Unfortunately, most of their friends and co-workers were busy so they can't hold a proper party for their daughter but they did promise to visit sometime to give Eli their gifts and they left their greetings for the one year old. And, also unfortunately, Eli doesn't have friends her age. To be honest, Nanjo and Kussun kept Eli a bit sheltered. With their popularity, they knew it brought on a lot of unwanted attention from the media, especially the paparazzi, and they didn't want her exposed to that. Their work also became busy at times so one of them would take Eli to work so they wouldn't sacrifice too much time that they should be spending with her. With how clingy Nanjo gets sometimes, it was clear that she already missed their daughter a lot, even though she was only gone for a few hours. Kussun couldn't say that she wasn't the same but…it did make her worry that Eli could grow up to be socially stunted because of how they limit her interactions, especially now that she was a year old.

"Done. They said they could make it. Yours?" Nanjo asked as she put the phone on her night stand, beside the family photo that Rippi took when Eli was born.

"No reply yet." Kussun said as she leaned into Nanjo's chest. The older woman wrapped an arm around her before she leaned in to kiss her neck.

"Y-Yoshi-chan…" Kussun said in between deep breaths as she tried to push Nanjo away but her efforts were in vain as the woman on top of her continued her actions.

"What? Come on?" She said as she tried to entice her wife into more…intimate activities.

"We literally just finished a while ago." Kussun said with a stern tone. However, with that kicked puppy look Nanjo was giving her, her resolve was slowly crumbling

"When?" She playfully asked, feigning ignorance before pressing her lips against Kussun's.

"8 minutes before I thought you were going to suggest getting our daughter an ocelot again." The younger woman answered. Though Kussun can understand why Nanjo was insistent with this; ever since Eli was born, their intimate activities have been extremely limited to cuddling and kissing. So she wasn't at all surprised when they both woke up and had a morning romp in the sheets. In fact, she was actually expecting it and as much as she wanted to have another round (Nanjo does bring that T-shirt phrase 'Kawaii in the Streets, Senpai in the Sheets' to life after all), their daughter was going to wake up soon.

"MAMA!" They heard a voice cry out.

"I got her." Nanjo said as she put on a shirt. After a few minutes, she came back with a whimpering Eli in her arms and a baggie of sliced bananas in hand.

"There's the birthday girl! Happy Birthday, my dear Elichika!" Kussun greeted the girl as she took her from Nanjo. Eli greeted her with a kiss on her cheek, like she did to Nanjo when she picked her up from her crib.

"Happy Birthday, my darling Eli-chan." The older woman greeted the little girl before kissing her forehead. Of course, the one year old laughed in delight at the attention her parents showered her with.

"Mama…fruit." Eli demanded as she pointed at the baggie on the bed.

"What do we say to Mama Aina first?" Nanjo asked her in a stern tone. She may spoil Eli a lot but one thing that she tries to never fail at is teaching her how to be polite.

"Mama…fruit, pwease?" Eli asked Kussun yet again. Kussun smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Of course, Eli-chan." She said as she opened the baggie and slowly fed the one year old. Once she was fed, they went about their day and prepared for their guests as Kussun's parents and sister confirmed their attendance. Everyone arrived by lunch as expected and Eli was immediately showered with attention by her relatives.

"Hello, Eli-chan. Happy Birthday!" Kussun's sister greeted her as she pinched the girl's cheeks. Little Eli, dressed in a floral patterned dress and a hair pin that her aunt gave her as a present, giggled and held her finger before trying to shove it in her mouth. Luckily, her aunt stopped her and gave her a pacifier instead.

"So, how's our granddaughter's development?" Nanjo's father cheerfully asked them.

"She's doing fine, father. She's pulls herself up now and she helps herself walk with whatever she can latch on to. She's very smart too." Nanjo proudly answered. As if to prove her mother's words right, Eli pulled herself onto her feet with her toy and she threw the toy by her grandmother's feet. Unfortunately, since she can't walk on her own yet, she lowered herself back to the ground to get her toy. Nanjo picked her up just in time for Kussun to re-enter the living room.

"It's time." She said with a grin. Everyone stood up and headed to the kitchen where the food was. In the middle of the table was birthday cake for Eli. Nanjo's brother lit the birthday candles before they started singing the birthday song for her. Despite being too young and oblivious as to what was going on, Eli still giggled as if she was enjoying everything.

"Eli-chan, blow out the candles." Kussun's mother told her. However, instead of blowing out the candles, Eli just kept sucking air in and when she did try to blow, she just wound up spitting on the candles. Kussun blew out the candle for her after she finally gave up.

"Happy Birthday!" They all greeted the child. Nanjo's brother approached them and held out a stuffed toy for the child.

"Happy Birthday, Eli-chan. Sorry but Uncle couldn't get you the real thing." He said with a smile. Eli took the toy and kissed him on the cheek as her thanks for the gift. In Eli's hands was an ocelot plushie.

"Mama, Chibi!" Eli said as she pointed at the toy.

"Yes, it looks like Chibi-chan, doesn't it?" Kussun said in agreement to humor her. Of course, Eli doesn't know the difference between a domestic cat and an ocelot so she just assumed that every single ocelot was either Mugi or Chibi.

"Can I get a picture?" Nanjo's mother asked as she held her phone. The two women decided to indulge them, not realizing that Eli had dropped her new toy and stuck her hands in the cake so they were now full of icing.

"Mama." Eli called. Both Kussun and Nanjo looked at her just in time for Eli to slap her icing-clad hands on their cheeks. The two were surprised but laugh it off nonetheless, not noticing the bunch of cellphone cameras going off while they enjoyed their daughter's first birthday…

* * *

 **FIRST STEPS (1 YEAR AND 6 MONTHS)**

* * *

"Okay, are you sure we should do this now? I don't think we should be forcing her to walk if she doesn't want to or if she can't yet." Nanjo said as she stood a couple of feet away from her wife and daughter, camera in hand. Since she and Kussun had another simultaneous day off, they decided to go out as a family like they always did on days like these. After lunch, they went around the mall, doing their best to avoid the paparazzi (those guys will do absolutely anything to not only invade their privacy but to also capture a moment in Eli's life) then they went to the park. When they got there, Kussun decided she wanted to start teaching Eli how to walk, which they've been doing for the past hour. Now, she thinks that Eli is ready to walk on her own. Nanjo wasn't exactly against it but she didn't exactly like it either since she preferred that Eli start walking on her own and not somewhat forced by her mother.

"She'll be fine, Yoshi-chan." Kussun said as she held onto Eli's hands and helped her walk a few feet away from Nanjo. Both faced her and Kussun kneeled down beside the toddler, leaving her standing in confusion.

"Eli-chan, go to Mama Yoshi. Mama Yoshi's over there. Can you walk to her?" Kussun asked her.

"Mama, play?" Eli asked her.

"Yeah. We'll play with Mama Yoshi so can you go to her?" She repeated the question as she pointed to Nanjo. Nanjo, meanwhile, took pictures of her wife and daughter with a blissful smile on her face. Both women laughed when Eli sat down instead of walking towards Nanjo. Kussun asked her to stand again and stand she did but she was still confused.

"Eli-chan, come to Mama." Nanjo called for her as she held her hands out. Eli turned her head towards her and decided that she wanted her Mama Yoshi. She looked down at her little feet before moving one foot forward. Then she repeated the process until she was halfway there.

"Go, Eli-chan!" Kussun cheered her on as she took a video of the moment on her phone. Eli giggled as she realized that she was getting closer to Nanjo. Nanjo continued taking pictures of her daughter as she excitedly anticipated her daughter reaching her.

"Come on, Eli-chan! Almost there!" Nanjo said with an excited grin as she snapped one last photo and held her hands out. Eli was getting closer and she was starting to hold her hands out, as if trying to ask her mother to catch her. She took the last few steps and she fell into Nanjo's arms.

"You did it! Yay!" She praised the child as she held her high up. Eli giggled in enjoyment as she kicked her little feet in the air. Nanjo had tears in her eyes, as did Kussun, who approached them. They approached a bench and sat down. Both women were thinking of how fast time goes by; it felt like it was only yesterday when they brought Eli home from the hospital and they had to keep her close all the time. Now, here she is; a year old and already walking…

"Don't grow up too fast, my cute and clever Elichika. Mama Aina and I aren't ready for you to grow up yet." Nanjo said in between sniffles as she cuddled Eli. Kussun leaned her head on her wife's shoulder as she gently caressed Eli's cheeks, not realizing tears were still falling from her eyes. Eli frowned in confusion at their tears of joy and she wiped them away with her tiny hands before kissing their cheeks in an attempt to comfort them.

"Mama, don't cry." She said before she gave Nanjo a tight hug. When she separated from Nanjo, she turned to Kussun this time.

"Mama, hug, please."

Kussun gladly obliged with her request and they gave each other a tight hug.

"Let's go home?" Nanjo asked them and they nodded. Kussun set Eli down on the ground and held her hand, Nanjo holding the other and they walked back to the car, happy to have seen this moment and proud of their little girl's recent milestone.

The next morning, while Nanjo was printing out the photos she took of Eli the day before, she stumbled upon a tabloid article announcing Eli's recent milestone. And just once, Nanjo decided to let it slip, deciding that it was just a harmless article about their little princess' achievement.

* * *

 **FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL (6 YEARS OLD)**

* * *

The shrill sound of the alarm clock stirred the two women in the room. The older woman turned it off immediately and she saw the time…

 _ **6:00 AM**_

She groaned as she fell back in bed, desperate for more sleep. But, alas, some things aren't meant to be. Today is a special day, after all. She turned to the woman beside her, giving her swollen belly a gentle rub before kissing it.

"Good morning." She whispered. Then, she moved up to the sleeping woman's face before gently pressing a kiss to her lips. That woke her up immediately.

"Good morning, Yoshi-chan." The younger woman groggily greeted her once they separated.

"Good morning, Ai-chan. How are you feeling?" Nanjo asked her, worry laced in her voice as she continued rubbing Kussun's swollen belly.

"I'm fine. Our baby isn't moving around too much like before. I actually slept well tonight." Kussun said with a gentle, sleepy smile "What time is it?"

"Around 6:30. Come on. We have to get Eli ready for school. Or do you want to stay in bed longer? I can get her ready and take her if you want." She offered but Kussun shook her head as she sat up.

"No. I'll go with you. I don't want to miss Elicchi's first day of school." She said.

"Alright. I'll make breakfast. You go wake Eli-chan up." Nanjo said before kissing her in the cheek and leaving the room. Kussun left the room after a few minutes and entered Eli's room. The room used to be her nursery and when she grew up, they just converted it to become her room. Eli was still asleep in her bed with her ocelot plushie and Ayase Eli nesoberi. Kussun sat beside her and kissed her forehead.

"Eli-chan, wake up. Elicchi, it's your first day of school."

As soon as she said that, Eli's eyes sprang wide open.

"Mama Aina, it's my first day of school! I'm so excited! I wanna go now!" She said as she jumped up and down her bed, way too energetic at this time of morn. Kussun giggled before she wrapped her arms around Eli's waist and brought her to sit on her lap.

"I'm glad you're excited, my cute and clever Elichika but first, you have to take a bath, change your clothes and have breakfast, yes?"

Eli nodded with enthusiasm before standing on the floor and pulling her up. Once Kussun was standing, the six year old pressed a kiss to her swollen stomach.

"Good morning, baby." She greeted her unborn sibling before she took Kussun's hand, looking at her expectantly.

"Take a bath with me, Mama!" She requested. Kussun nodded, deciding to give in to her daughter's request just once. The two took a shower and got prepared for the day, coming down just in time for Nanjo to finish preparing breakfast for them.

"Mama Yoshi, good morning!" Eli greeted as she ran up to her and held her hands out. Nanjo picked her up immediately and kissed her cheek.

"Good morning, my little princess. You look cute in your new uniform. Ready for school?" She asked.

"Yes. I'm excited. I'll get to meet new friends, right?" Eli asked excitedly. And Nanjo nodded in response.

"Yes, you will. But first, breakfast." Nanjo said as she set Eli on a chair. The family ate together while discussing their plans for the day.

"Mama, how do I get home?" Eli asked them in curiosity, trying to eat properly so she wouldn't stain her uniform.

"Mama Aina and I will pick you up after school. If we run a little late, just stay with the teachers, okay." Nanjo informed her as she firmly looked at Eli. The six year old nodded in response as her mother patted her head.

"But when do I get to go to school and go home on my own, Mama Yoshi? Uncle helped me walk to my school a few times. He said it's so I'll know how to get home and go to school on my own so I know how to do it." She told them. Kussun and Nanjo looked at each other. Once upon a time, they were a bit too busy with work and they couldn't bring Eli to the studio so they called Nanjo's brother to babysit, which he gladly did. When they got home, he told them that he took Eli for a walk and showed her the route to go to school until she memorized it, saying that Eli needed to learn and that they can't possibly take her to school and pick her up every single day. Both were a bit hesitant to let her go to school and go home on her own but they knew it would have to happen eventually. They knew he had a point and Japan's streets were safe for kids to go around on their own but they also wanted the experience of taking her to and from school.

"Mama Yoshi and I will discuss it, Eli-chan." Kussun replied before turning to her wife. "Yoshi-chan, you have work today, right?"

"Yeah. But I'll be finished by the time Eli-chan gets out of school. You?" She asked.

"Same." Kussun responded. Nanjo didn't like it one bit that Kussun decided to keep working while she was pregnant with their second child. She feared of the stress their line of work might bring to her and usually that fear led to a bigger fear. And everyone, from their family to their friends to the media, knew that Nanjo's biggest fear was something terrible happening to her wife and children. Unfortunately, Kussun was stubborn in her decision and she wouldn't budge so Nanjo had no choice but to concede.

"Mama, I'm finished." Eli said as she pushed her empty plate away.

"Alright. Go brush your teeth. I'll get ready then Mama Aina and I will take you to school, alright?" Nanjo told her. The little girl nodded before bolting off. Nanjo sighed as she watched Eli run upstairs. Kussun put the plates away and wrapped her arms around her waist.

"You're worried, aren't you?" She asked as she leaned her chin on her shoulder.

"A little. It's hard not to be." The older woman replied as she held Kussun's hand. Truth be told, they planned to homeschool Eli out of fear that the other children would treat her differently; what with her having two famous parents and all. But when they broke the news to her, Eli started crying and asked to go to a real school like she usually saw on TV. It was only when she bolted upstairs and they saw her talking to her plushies did they realize how lonely Eli actually was not having friends her age. Just seeing Eli cry her eyes out was enough to break their hearts but to realize too late how lonely she actually was…they felt like they were being bad parents for it. So they relented and signed her up for a public Elementary school. True, they had the means and resources to send her to an expensive private school but they wanted Eli to start out simple so she wouldn't think that she was above others just because she was more privileged than some were.

"I'll go get ready. You sit down and rest easy for now, alright." Nanjo told her as she rubbed Kussun's belly before following Eli upstairs. Kussun sat on the couch and was rejoined by Eli after a few minutes. Eventually, Nanjo came down as well.

"Alright. Let's go."

"Yay!" Eli cheerfully yelled out as she ran out the door with Kussun following her with her schoolbag as well as her own things. The small family entered the car; with Nanjo driving, Kussun sitting on the passenger side and Eli in the backseat. Eventually, they arrived at the school. Since it was the first day, there were many parents taking their children as well as taking the commemorative photos by the entrance. Good thing Nanjo brought her camera.

"I think this is a good school, Yoshi-chan. I'm sure she'll be safe here. Why don't we tell Pai-chan and Mimorin about this so Yui-chan can start going here next year?" Kussun suggested with a gentle smile. Nanjo gave her a fond look. Yui is Pile and Mimorin's daughter, born 3 months after Eli turned a year old. The two children were actually good friends but unfortunately, due to their parents' work, both hardly see each other nowadays, even though their parents keep close contact with each other and the other Muse members. Recently, Pile let it slip that they were already looking for schools to enter Yui in next year.

"I think that's a great idea, my love." She replied before kissing her wife's hand. The couple turned to Eli who was excitedly looking out the window.

"Eli-chan, look at us." Kussun told her. The 6 year old immediately gave them her attention.

"Listen, you have your school things in your bag as well as some snacks. If you need, help, you ask your teachers and if you need to reach us, our numbers, personal, managers' and even the agency's numbers are in your notebooks, okay. And most importantly…we know Japan's streets are usually safe but you can never be too careful…but don't talk to strangers and you certainly do not go with them. If a stranger says they were asked to bring you to us, you ask for the code word. If they can't answer, you run for a teacher. Understood?" Nanjo said, her strict and firm voice showing how serious she is at the moment.

"Yes, Mama." Eli said with a nod to show her understanding.

"What's the code word?" Kussun gently asked her.

"Parfait." Eli answered. Nanjo gave her a warm smile and gave her cheek a gentle caress. The family got out of the car and some of the parents discreetly eyed them. Apparently, even after meeting some parents once before the school year started, it's still mind blowing for two A-List celebrities to send the "Nanjo Princess" (as the tabloids have taken to calling Eli) to a public Elemntary school. Thankfully, once they got their bearings, they returned to their own businesses.

"Elicchi, stand here." Kussun told their daughter as she directed Eli to the school's name plaque. Eli did as she was told and Kussun stood beside her wife.

"Eli-chan, look here and smile, please." Nanjo requested of her. Eli smiled brightly at her and Nanjo took a picture. They took three more photos after that; one of Kussun and Eli, another of Eli with Nanjo and the last was of the three of them as a family. Eventually, the time came when the entrance ceremony was about to start. They both kneeled before their daughter and held her hands.

"Now, remember what Mama Yoshi told you, alright." Kussun requested of her daughter.

"Yes, Mama Aina." She obediently replied with a smile.

"What's the code word?" Nanjo asked her yet again.

"Parfait."

"Harasho." She said as she put their foreheads together. The two adults stood up and Eli started walking away until…

"Eli-chan." Nanjo called for her.

She turned to them with a confused look on her face.

"Mama Aina and I love you very much, okay." She reminded her as tears slowly streamed down her cheeks like Kussun's was. Though their tears were tears of joy because their daughter was starting a new chapter in her life, they were also tears of sadness at the realization that she really was growing up.

"Mama."

Eli ran back into her arms and gave them both a tight hug.

"I love you, Mama Yoshi. I love you, Mama Aina. I love you too, baby. Onee-chan will see you later." Eli said with a smile as she kissed their cheeks and Kussun's stomach. Afterwards, she ran off and before she entered the school, she called for them; unaware that Nanjo was still taking pictures of her.

"Mama!"

The two adults gave her their attention with confusion that slowly turned into amazement as they watched her next action; three familiar words accompanied by a lively jump.

" _IMA GA SAIKOU!"_

Both of them watched her run into the building with proud smiles plastered on their faces. Nanjo managed to take a picture of the moment while Kussun was taking a video on her phone. The younger woman leaned into her side as Nanjo wrapped an arm around her waist, her hand landing on her swollen belly.

"This moment is the greatest, huh, Yoshi-chan." Said Kussun. Nanjo kissed her wife's temple before answering.

"Not just this one, Ai-chan. Every moment with you and Eli are the greatest." She said with a fond smile…

And she hoped many more great moments to come…

* * *

 **AN: And that is the epilogue of this story and the end of the MAIN line of Jolks fics. I know this isn't really my best work but I hope you guys enjoyed this nonetheless.**

 **Up next is Mama Birb x Mama Tomato fic so stay tuned.**

 **Also, if you like my stories and would like to request a fic for certain fandoms or LL, please check out my . My url is theworldhopper so if you want to please go check it out. Stay awesome, you magnificent bastards.**

 **Firework out!**


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